Yakeen Ka Safar ~ Episode 29 ~ Finale Review

… And then they lived happily after.

Thus end all fairy tales. And like those much-beloved stories Yaqeen Ka Safar too ended today on a very upbeat note. Asfi and Zubiya made up with a very sweet hug and bas everything fell into place. Audiences rejoiced, shed a tear or too and like the newlywed couple, they too walked away with huge smiles on their faces. Who doesn’t love a happy ending?

Pichley zamane mein shadiyon pe chuharey baantey jaate thay magar aajkal hum zara modern ho gaye hain so here… Jordan Almonds ke saath munh meetha kijeye and let’s all send up a prayer for Asfi and Zubiya.May they win all the best jori awards and may the fans remember them forever with fondness. Ameen.

Moving from reel to real, any and all applause for the success of Yaqeen Ka Safar must begin with a standing ovation for Momina Duraid and her production team. MD has now honed to perfection the art of putting together a project that checks off all the right boxes in terms of aesthetic appeal. From the first episode to this last one today, the entire serial has had an air of quality and class. The settings and sets were beautiful. Actors were cast well and gelled like real family members, the chemistry between them palpable. Direction wise Shahzad Kashmiri’s work with his actors showed and there was rarely a false note from among the main cast.

Ahad Mir as Dr. Asfandyar has to be the casting coup of the year, and for his part Ahad more than lived up to all the trust placed in him.This was the role of a lifetime – we rarely have characters with such well-defined physical and emotional arcs – and he did full justice to Asfi. In a very nicely paced evolution we saw him grow from a carefree and chirpy young Asfi to the responsible and introverted mature Dr. Asfandyar. Kudos to him for stepping up to the plate and carrying the entire second half of the serial on his young shoulders.

Pairing the more experienced Sajal with newcomer Ahad was another master stroke. Not only was this a very fresh pairing but it was also great to see Sajal pitted against someone from her own age group. Sajal was very good and even though her Zubiya was uni-dimensional and lacked texture and grit, she nonetheless held it together and made us want to root for the girl who never really came into her own.

Shaz Khan and Hira Mani were another pair who came into their own as Daniyal and Gaiti. Shaz Khan has come a long way since his last appearance on TV in Zid. Similarly Hira too has worked on her acting and after an unimpressive début in Firaaqshe impressed with her brilliant outing in Preet Na Kariyo Koishe has done well here too despite a character that really went nowhere.

Apart from the main leads, Sabiha Sumar was fab as the boys’ loving mother and Farhan Ali Agha made an unpalatable character almost likeable. And this is another reason that this serial was so watchable – the actors who imbued life in their otherwise very problematically written chracters. Suhaee Abro, Ehteshamuddin, Mariyam Nafees, Mani, Shamyl Khan, all made their mark.

Speaking of problematic, remember those Jordan Almonds I offered you at the begining? Kitney mazedar hotay haina?!

Now, if you remember the deliciousness then you also know how awful it feels after you happen to bite into a bitter one. No matter how many more sweet ones you eat after, that bitter taste refuses to leave. Bas, that’s exactly how I have felt about this serial.

Yakeen Ka Safar is presented just right. It is sweet, packs an emotional punch and you cannot help but get swayed by the actors playing these characters. But the story at the core of it all is like that karwa badam the taste of which does not leave you in a hurry. Farahat Ishtiaq’s characters have been pitched just right emotionally, but the story and chracterization have left much to be desired and in some places the plot points have been downright problematic.

I have written about my problems with the writing in earlier episodes (here, hereand here) so will not rehash those, but I have to put on record my great disappointment with the way the serial ended. Before it began there was a lot of talk about this addressing social issues and presenting positive female role models. Well, I waited and waited and waited…

What we eventually saw happen was exactly the opposite of what we were promised.

Instead of the empowered strong female lead, what we saw today was a heroine who would rather take her own life than find in herself the courage to stand up and look her tormentor in the eye. Earlier there was Daniyal who died trying to get justice, now we had Asfi.

How is Zubiya a positive role model? Just because she happens to be a doctor does not make her empowered. Where was her spine? In all these years hadn’t she even learned to trust herself? Why did she need Asfi to validate her in order for her to move in with her life? What kind of a message is this sending to young impressionable girls?

Also, that Rehan actually got to cry and plead his case was absolutely hogwash. This was so reminiscent of what his father had done. And so is this the takeaway? For men to cry and beg for forgiveness after committing all kinds of wrongs, and for women to forgive them? Really? Murderers, abusers walking away scott free? What kind of irresponsible message is this? This is problematic to the extreme, particularly in a country where the rate of violence against women is rising with every passing day

In terms of addressing issues, this was yet another whitewash. Here too Khajista’s problems were easily resolved by making the right phone calls to the right people. Bas, all done. What kind of takeaway is this? How many girls in a similar situation have a Barrister Usman in their corner?

On Usman, he admitted to Asfandiyar that he had done Daniyal wrong by not trusting him and for running away and hiding in a small town, but what of his apology to his wife? Wasn’t she owed one? From the day we met this couple, Usman has been mansplaining … making decisions for Lubna and continuously telling her how she could do things better. The couple was great together so we bought it, but otherwise NO.

The one truly empowered woman we saw in this serial was Noori – she dared to live life on her own terms and defied familial and feudal pressure to stand up to the stystem – but her end was so bad that I don’t think anyone would be motivated to report a similar crime to the responsible authorities. This was the only message that came through loud and clear from that track. Did we really need to drag a rape case into this story, particularly if there was no hope of doing justice to this very sensitive issue.

Another message that came across loud and clear is that shaadi is the be-all and end -all of a woman’s life. Gaiti came to the hospital, ostensibly to work but as it turned out this was only a convenient ploy to introduce her to Dr. Haroon. Earlier Faryal had begged Asfi to marry her after her divorce. Arrey bibiyo aur bhi gham hain zamaney mein shaadi ki siwa!

For a channel and production house that has given us such fantastic dramas, with memorable female characters, in the past, I fail to understand the reason why women took such a huge step backwards in this drama. They might not have cried bucketfull of tears but they were just as weak and lacking in agency as those other typical drama heroines. They talked the talk but failed miserably when it came to walking the walk. Zubiya had lectures galore for Khajista, but when it came to her own life she opted for exactly the opposite of what she was preaching. Suicide is not something that should be dealt with so carelessly, simply so that the knight in shining armor can come charging in to rescue the damsel in distress. No.

Suffice it to say that while Yaqeen Ka Safar was a beautifully wrapped package – the wrapping and bow perfectly tied just so – the content inside left a lot to be desired. A lot. The happy ending not quite as happy as it looked from the outside.

And so we come to the end of yet another safar with yet another drama serial. Thank you to all who read and ranted and raved about the good, the bad and the ugly of Yakeen Ka Safar. Ab its your turn – your take?

Hey SZ
I know what you mean about the bitter taste left in the mouth , you are right , the issues were not given a good rounded solution , it was more like being swept under the carpet.
But that HUG was simply adorable and felt so good☺
Dr Asfi was fantastic and so was Sajal , her expressions were flawless.
I’m sad it’s over ….hope to see more of Ahad Raza Mir , he’s awesome 😍

Yeah, their kid is an exact copy of Mani, and such a cutie.
The mom was played by Sabina Sumar, the director of the fab film Silent Waters.. if you haven’t, you must check it out on yt. And that’s why it’s such a surprise to see her playing this meek woman who is forever being schooled by her husband. He annoyed me so much!

Thanks for posting your review! This is the first time I’m leaving a comment, though I have been reading (and enjoying) your reviews for quite some time!

I agree with the points you made in your review. The writer did a fabulous job writing Asfi’s character and I applaud the writer for redefining masculinity to include gentleness and thoughtfulness (as opposed to the usual characteristics of violent jealousy and shoet tempers). Ahad did a wonderful job translating this character on screen and he and Sajal have wonderful chemistry. I think Sajal also acted really well (I’m a huge fan of hers).

However, none of the other characters were given the same opportunity for growth. It almost seems like the subtext of the drama was that men can overcome their hardships (Asfi was able to get Bahadur arrested/get over the heartache Faryal caused and his father was able to win Khajista’s case/reconnect with colleagues and politicians who had shunned him after Daniyal’s death), but the women were unable to overcome their obstacles (Gaiti’s grief over her husband’s death; Zubia’s low opinion of her moral character) until the men (Haroon/Asfi, respectively) forced the issue.

Overall, this was an enjoyable drama because of the romance, acting and direction. I hope we continue to see Dr. Asfi — type heroes in the future! 🙂 His character evolution was a treat to watch!

PS – on your recommendation, I watch Dhund and loved it! Can’t wait for the next episode!

Loved reading through your comment. I love how you’ve put the good and the bad together so well. Indeed Farhat gave us a layered male lead and it was great to see a man with so many nuances because it so rare these days. But then as you have pointed out what she gave us with one hand she took away with the other. Bas ab what to do That said, it was indeed a drama that kept us coming back week after week.

Arrey wah! Thank you for giving Dhund a shot .. isnt it a real break from the routine? I get exasparated every so often with the random actors with bad acting skills etc, but overall I really enjoy the hatke stories.

Ab now that you’re here I hope you wont be a stranger and go back to being a silent reader.. its so much more fun when we have a variety of opinions – makes for great discussions!

Hey, I agree with everything you said. I’m still wondering happened to Noori. They did not even bothered to show her end whatever that may have been. As for zubiya, I was so glad in the beginning when she came to the hospital and stood up for herself a little. And the story did not at any point felt like it’s all about love and hero heroine ka milaap type. It was all happening but very subtly and I was hoping for a very dramatic and strong wrap up of all the loose ends. But sadly it was disappointing.
The only satisfying thing in the last episode was that HUG. And I am so sooooo glad the director or whoever did let them have that hug. It was soooooo needed at that point. I am very happy that showed the true emotions of two people in that situation and did not leave that scene hanging like “both just looking at each other or may be some awkward putting the girl’s head on boy’s shoulder”. LOVED that beautiful hug and both Sajjal and Ahad.
Sajjal is slowly becoming the most most fav actress of mine. Though the second half of YKS was mostly about Asfand Yar but whenever Zubiya got a chance Sajjal made her outshine everyone else. I just love her vey very very much.
Will miss this serial A LOT!!
Mavra

@Mavra Ibrar: Welcome aboard! Lovely to hear from you – glad you commented 🙂
Noori was a fave character of mine as well.. and I wrote extensively about the injustice meted out to her character – so unfair! Since you havent seen it as yet, I wont give you spoilers but do go back and re-watch the earlier episodes. I cant find the exact episode number but its between 10-14. It wont give you closure but you will at least know how it all went down.
do come back to share your views once you catch up on Noori’s end .. will wait to hear from you 🙂

@SZ I so missed discussing YKS here. We have already had rather explosive discussions on the elephant(s) in the room in YKS, mostly the DV issues you talked about and the mother’s murder at the hands of the father never brought up. Still the packaging was so extraordinary and Asfand’s story was so great we all tuned into it and applauded it.
Add one more elephant or rather dinosaur in the room today– Suicide attempt. Why on earth does a girl who has survived odds and is coming into her own as a champion of women’s rights, try to commit suicide for fear of being found out in her rather small subterfuges? I felt so worried at this attractive packaging of suicide, just a small bruise, and the man in any case is yours because he feels so much pity for you. I actually feel scared that thousands of immature young girls may ideate suicide attempt when it is presented so sanitized and beautifully. Suicide attempt as a solution.
Apparently some girls contacted the writer on twitter and asked why could Zubiya not simply tell Asfand she had lied about a brother. It was a personal lie, not a fraud; you can keep things private at work. FI replied that she felt the suicide was a more realistic representation.
Ahad of course is a seriously good actor, despite his very young age. I really thought he was in his 30s before finding out he is not even 25. Sajal was very competent, but her character was not well written I think. The character never got a chance to explain her journey as a girl. in the end her entire existence had to be validated byAsfandyar, who magnanimously declared that her past does not matter to him and that he loves her. I so wanted to hear her say that her past does not matter to her either.
Wasted opportunities. Rare drama that captures the entire nation and says exactly the same thing that has been said in 1265382 drama s about mazloom aurat before it.

Suicide attempt was a more realistic representation. Seriously?? She should have said the drama was a 12 masalon ki plate aik suicide attempt reh gia tha th I added that as well. I totally agree with you

I’m at work so can’t respond right now – but just a quick word that Hum might be trying to back peddle now but the damage is done — where was she standing? Her dupatta was on the rocks below .. did she go down there for a stroll? And if the dupatta just flew off – hawa mein urta jaye etc – then why was she in the hospital with the bruises?? No. Hum TV you cannot walk away this easy

No she said that she didn’t write her doing suicide. She said she wrote her going to the cliffs yes but She’s basically saying the director added it. So they are not backpedaling it definitely is an attempted suicide but she’s saying she didn’t write it that way.

Oh ok — I am blocked (🙄) by FI so don’t know what she’s saying but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter who did what -the damage is done and md and the whole team needs to take responsibility for the brickbats and the bouquets ..

Thanks for the twitter post . SZ you are BLOCKED 😱 who in his/her right mind would block you ??!!! Our writers , actors , celebs can be over SENSETUE🤣
Blocking is easy then answering the wrong kind of question 😂they only want to hear “ Allah …. you are the best thing after the sliced bread” …

@Sheema & @Deeba: Kiya pata kyon kiya! Those who follow me – be it the blog, twitter, FB, insta- know I never make personal comments abt anybody so I am guessing its my reviews that must have been a problem. Oh well!

I must admit that as someone who has been watching Pakistani shows for a while suicide was often shown as the solution for all of a woman’s problems about 15 years ago. I always got the message that if as a woman you’re struggling with something in your life just make a suicide attempt and everything will turn out fine.

@ASK: Hello! Thank you for reading and commenting. I so agree with you on this very wrong message being sent out … even if she didnt actually do the deed she did consider it and she did go to the cliff to jump off it … ab if an educated/self sufficient/ well-off girl can contemplate suicide for a mishap that took place ages ago where is the hope for all those girls who are nowhere near as privileged as Zubiya was … I dont know how this sends out a message of strength and empowerment …

And yes, this is not a trend we want to come back and normalized just as rapes, extra marital affairs, talaqs, and halalas have become ..

@Molly: Awww!!! I am so so sorry for bailing out on that last thread where we had such an important convo going. Bas life happened – my bad!

Yes, Molly I totally hear you and share your concerns. Just a quick skim through twitter of fb comments or yt comments is enough to confirm our worst fears. Fans are finding rationalizations and defending Zubiya’s actions .. all because she walked away with the hunk at the end.

Yes, he is a great looking kid and will mature to be a great actor but for makers to be so persuaded by the good looking lead pair’s chemistry and fan following to give us such nonsense is really disturbing and very irresponsible on the channel’s end.

Rehmat brought up Sarah and HS, and you know when that first suicide attempt aired there was a copy cat incodent which made news and I remember Sarmad coming out and accepting the concerns and saying that they should have been more careful and responsible – and this way before the advent of twitter or most of social media – HS was the first drama to be a FB hit and its from there that publicity on social media took a leap and many of these big drama pages and review sites took a start. But I digress. My larger point is that the same team comes back with another suicide attempt – whether she really did jump or not is immaterial, the point, as FI’s tweet have made clear was that Zubiya did feel like it was best to end her life, is that the intent was all there and if our knight in shining armor had not made his appearance she would have jumped. And that is a problem.

Some of you have brought up the dialogues where Zubiya says she’s not worthy of Asfi … did you notice the first thing she said was that she was sorry .. why the heck was she sorry?? Why did she owe Asfi an apology??

I dont know there is so much off here ke bas ab its best to let it go … bekar mein apna blood pressure high karne ka kya faida…

Re: Ahad’s age .. yes, he’s very young and with his talent and good looks I can see him going far, very far indeed!

What s wrong with having male/ female support in one ‘s life? If the Almighty has made man and woman to meet each other s needs, why do we in the name of empowerment want to demean this? Our dramas have been trying to give us this message that man needs a woman as much as a woman needs a man in their practical life

Nothing wrong in showing they support each other . They didn’t show that support for the full extent . Empowerment doesn’t mean disrespecting any relations but in order to keep the balance women should not be JUST seen as FORGIVING , peacemaker, follower not the leader . It would be a long argument without any solid conclusion on what is actually empowerment . I would say to even forgive you need power ! But unfortunately TV writers are in the end endorsing the practice that women have to forgive and forget and just remember how much the guy loves him ( wether it’s brotherly love or MAJAZI love) . At the same time they are right to show this as this is what our society expect from women , forgive and move on. I remember in Gul e Rana people didn’t like the end because Gul e Rana decided to leave her husband and not accept just because he was a changed man!
No disrespect to your views intended , I may be completely wrong , but that’s only my opinion and belief no to fact !

@Ayesha: Hey! Welcome to DRNR! Lovely to hear from a new friend and thank you for sharing your perspective. Its always good to hear diff opinions, makes our discussions so much richer and we all learn so much from each other as well.

You are right in your take on men and women supporting each other as partners and helping each other grow. And then Sheema is absolutely spot on as well ke true partnerships can happen only between equals, as in intellectual and emotional equals where both can help each other grow, individually as well as a unit. Unfortunately this kind of a partnership is becoming increasingly rare on our TV screens.

Khair, aisi baatein tau chalti rehti hain yahan and now I hope that you too will join us in our discussions – looking fwd! 🙂

I waited the entire series to finish and read your last review ! And it was worth it . Your review not the serial !!!
I was too scared to say anything during the serial as the whole Twitter janta was drooling over the lead pair . The drama has potential to be much more then the “CHEMISTRY” of the lead couple and physics of the hero !!! I loved the start , and waited kay finally something REAL is going to be shown. But slowly slowly it turned out to be your typical love story. I agree with everything you pointed out . For me the best part of the show show was the cinematography , the camera man was amazing , tempted so many like me to book the flight to Aneela Valley.
I guess the makers got complacent and some what arrogant about that what ever and however they would take the story further public would take it and I must say they were not wrong at all. A lot of our audience are turning into star plus soap viewers …. for them lead’s chemistry is everything , and unfortunately this is been happening quite a lot .
I love Sajjal Ali , she is brilliant , I can imagine if she was given the opportunity to be the woman of substance she would have been one. Ahad Mir was like a marmite in the beginning , either you liked him or hated him!!!( sorry girls) but then he came out very well , full marks to him. But jaan ke amaan paoon toh arz karoon , Dr Asfi’s character demanded bit more punch. Having said that I am not taking away the hard work Ahad put in his work , truly amazing. Last episode was the weakest , they rush for happy ending so badly that they make a character who went through so much more then a simple lie about her personal life needed to jump from the cliff , ( please please girls never even go near those cliffs , in real situation , aap ka dupatta bhi shayad milay) that was utter rubbish. The last episode was for Dr asfi’s fan , Zubia was no where . There should be a faceoff with her brother which never happened . Zubia for me was not BUZDIL, she was brave to reject the proposal initially , why couldn’t she face Dr Asfand after finding the TRUTH !
Over all this serial was a crowd pleaser , started with serious issues infact they put all the masalas and gave you a masalaydaar biryani , but for people like me you needs “SOMETHING ELSE” to keep it down , that something else was missing.
I am your fan big time , you have a command on your keyboard which types what a lot of us have in our minds. Shabash !
Waiting for Rangreza as I am in awe of the serial as there is much more then shadi in life 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Thank you Sheema – you are very kind and generous with your words. Always a pleasure to read your take – so incisive and cutting to the heart of the matter.
Have you watched Sannata with Sajal and Saba? I know you’d joined us for the begining part then I think you left it .. if you havent completed it, I would highly recommend it. Sajal actually stole the show from Saba there .. she was that good!

Baqi tau yeah we’re on the same page .. what to say ..

Yes, OR is going very well and ab kal se Manto bhi … both the same day! #toomuchdimaghneededforfridaydramas

what a wonderful review. i have recently come across your blog and totally hooked. i enjoyed YKS reviews and now reading old ones as well.
now coming to YKS. i read this novel in my teenage and loved it. its like a SRK movie to me. Although i watched the drama with open mind but still some additions left me uncomfortable and zobia’s suicide attempt is on top of them. i cannot stop myself from comparing novel’s end to this, i find novels end more realistic and charming except the hug of course. i mean it would look wonderful if two mature grown ups sit together and talk about their issues and insecurities. Cast no doubt was brilliant and for the first i like Hira Mani. she was wonderful. Ahad and sajjal were out standing but again they should have more strong scenes together rather then is patient ki file kahan us ka test kon sa. i am looking forward to read you more.

Yes, Hira has come a long way indeed from her raw and brash start on her weekend talk show … have you watched her Preet Na Kariyo Koi? If you haven’t I recommend it highly. Had an abrupt random ending ( what else is new) but was really good and different otherwise. And yes baqi tau we are on the same page pretty much.

Bas ab consider yourself a DRNR-er and we hope to continue hearing from you.

SZ you nailed it! True review unlike other opinions I read online. And I am also happy reading all the comments, because the ending I wanted for Zubiya was not there. I still remember how she had stood up to her brother when he had accused her. She was brilliant, telling him to back off and now when she is a good doctor helping other women stand up. She suddenly became weak? What was that? Also it was laughable to see her teach Islam in the end. Do writers forget that Suicide is not permitted in our religion, do they realize the impact this has on young female minds? How contradictory was that, just because they were too lazy to write the showdown between her brother and her. She said to Asfi, mein aap ke kaabil nahi hu. Ok…it was always my understanding that a certain education level and professional life expands a persons general view of life on this earth. How did she come to the conclusion that she was not worth it? What is the difference between her and Kajista? Asfi said mein tumhare saath hoon. Why was that needed? She has been alone throughout the serial dealing with the injustice done to her and now suddenly she needs validation? Very disappointing. It’s true the whole story was about Dr. Asfandyar, baki everything was subplot.

“She said to Asfi, mein aap ke kaabil nahi hu. Ok…it was always my understanding that a certain education level and professional life expands a persons general view of life on this earth. How did she come to the conclusion that she was not worth it? What is the difference between her and Kajista? ”
@Sehersh… you said it so well. This was the sentence that made me very uncomfortable too. An indiscretion at the age of 15-16, should be allowed its burial long back.

I agree , that last scene showing her teaching kids about Islam was laughable. She should have been arrested because a suicide attempt is a felony in Pakistan .
She was weak , could not face her brother although he was the one who wronged her but I guess the guilt of that one mistake she made scarred her soul and her father , brother , Bhabi , cousin etc never let her forget that.

Fabulous review, SZ. You have eloquently voiced every single thought I had while watching this deeply problematic episode of a deeply problematic drama serial.
We were promised a strong female lead and look what we got. In the last episode, Asfi kept saying kay Zubiya itni bahadur larki hai, uss ne kia kia nahe saha, but the events of the finale showed a very weak character. After everything that she’d been through, she couldn’t even confront the person who wronged her. And a suicide attempt? This was extremely disappointing and insensitive. Zubiya apologizing to Asfi and saying ”mein aapke qaabil nahe hun” – I am sorry but it felt like she didn’t respect herself enough. In this episode, Zubiya was saved by Asfi, not once but twice. All it took to resuscitate Zubiya was Asfi’s ”ILY and your past doesn’t matter” speech. There you go, our 21st century STRONG female lead. I think it’s time to accept that I have fallen out of love with Farhat Ishtiaq’s writing. Unpopular opinion alert: Diyar e Dil was a disaster too.

I will admit, though, I am slightly obsessed with Ahad Raza Mir and have been watching a LOT of his interviews on YouTube. He watches high brow TV shows and reads Vladimir Nabokov!! So, so cool.

Like a lot of peole am disappointed with the character growth of Zubia
I can’t write a lot right now , will add more later. Her attempted suicide was an awful resolution for me
But thanks SZ great review as always!

@SK: Bas another disappointment from a drama that promised a lot. Remember ZGH?! Uff those were the days when we we were scolded through out for critiquing that drama when everybody else was loving it! We’ve seen so much together havent we!

Per your suggestion, to watch YKS, I googled the story, on WIKI, its starts with how Zubia’s father killed her mom… I was not able to watch it.. the domestic violence just creeps me out.. But then read some reviews and how everyone was going Gaga over the new Pakistani Crush… so watched the 25th episode and I got hooked.. I still have not have not watched some of the parts– like Noories ordeal..Daniyal’s death…But since 4 weeks could not watch anything else than YKS…so many stories woven together.. Loved this Safar..

Cannot write much , as at work , but Glad I started watching this.. and yesterday , I was like.. god please make this girl happy…

Ahad Raza Mir– did not realize , he is just a 24 year old boy … Hats off to him for a brilliant portrayal of Asfi and Dr. Asfandyar… and Sajal Ali.. I had watched her in Behadd. She is a brilliant actress..that last hug scene , just fab…

I still have issues with suicide.. Anyway..thanks for your suggestion and I started watching this amazing show…

Hey Hey! Lovely to see you here on this thread 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this one but at the same time had similar concerns as the rest of us. Please do go back and watch the entire serial. I had mentioned in an earlier review that this serial could easily have been spread out over two seasons, one dedicated to each of the brothers. I t is like getting two serials for the price of one.

Absoulety fantastic review SZ.. you just nailed it with your spot on points… where there is no doubt on beautiful chemistry between leads, great acting by all actors.. there is also no doubt in this being called as’ jake of all trades master of none’.. why to put so many social issues when there wont be any justice done to any of them.. it would have been far better if drama was purely adapted from novel. Simple n straight..
After DeD i had given up on novel inspired dramas.. they just ruined readers beautiful imagination.. but i still gave this one a try but i was disappointed on how it was presented. N to make it worse was showing or even writing a suicide attempt..
I was waiting for zubis reply when her brother was apologising but absoulety nothing.. why??

Yes the hug was awe moment but does showing that make everything disappear?

I share your sentiment , at the end I just said “ abay yaar”!!! I started watching this very late I must say as I have given up on Hum TV dramas for their drag, recycled stories , stupid titles , churning dramas with no substance . On twitter there was a big hoo haa about the show so I thought I give it go . I love sajjal ali , I always thought , what a beautiful girl with immense talent , wish she doesn’t do dramas where she always ( 3 serials I can name ) ends up on being mother of 3, 2, or a child 🤣 or she cries buckets , so reluctant to watch this YKS … anyways next time I will be more careful !

I am waiting for it to finish along with Baaghi and Nadia’s drama. I find it difficult to wait the whole week . Watching Teri Raza only to sarmad and saying “ sarmad Tum bhi !!???” “ yeh kiya kiya sarmad ? Why this bakwas”

Guys:
Wah! what a fab discussion! Loving how well-articulated all your comments are and how insightful you all are! Abhi aati hun to join in but just wanted to share this real quick with you all …
No matter how disappointed or annoyed we all may be with YKS it is undeniable that we did enjoy it as well. And so on that happy note check this video that I found floating on the web …I I thought it was really funny! Aap dekhen aur bataein kaisa laga?

😂😂🤣 if it was from padosi mulk we would be still on episode 1001 when Daniyal was accused of ***e.
Aaaahhhh our young college going , social media savvy, mostly female ( I should say entirely female) audience are turning into padosi mulk like audience where lead pair’s chemistry ( pata nahi kiya cheeze hoti hai ) is the only entertainment factor .Hum Tv is slowly turning into one of theirs . Feel sorry and in minority.

SZ, I am finally here after dreadful feeling of watching the finale! Really, feel cheated after spending so much time on the hope that it will offer something new and something different.

Many of the sane voices up in the blog had already discussed and said what I would like to say. So glad that there are still some sane people around who think a like. Otherwise, after reading Facebook and twitter comments, my head was spinning.

I think, I now gave up on any Pakistani drama, unless someone like you write a really good review then will watch it!

Keep writing your blogs, I will definitely read and comment if I follow that drama!

Sadia: Hello glad you joined us on this last thread for this serial.. was waiting to hear from you 🙂

Arrey nahin bhai .. abhi where are you going and giving up on dramas … abhi tau Manto shuru hona hai .. that should be great one to watch, reflect on and discuss. So do give it a shot once it goes up online.

Baqi now that we’re connected dont disappear from the blog … we love hearing from friends .. and sab ke saath mil ke drama dekhne ka maza alag hi hota hai.. then even boring dramas become not so boring 🙂

I will wait for your reviews on Manto to come and then will definitely watch and comment on it and some other dramas after some break, will watch them in one go- like Dhundh and Piyari Bitto. Mainly, decision will be based on good reviews!

Another point regarding the blog, on some comments I can reply and on some I can’t.
Why is this so? Any technical reason for this?

Ugh phone 😡
Basically, comments threads are nested and each thread can have no more than 6 comments (or somewhere around that number) and after that a new thread needs to be started. The reason being that if you read on the phone you’ll notice that each reply gets narrower to the the point it’s only a word per line hence impossible to read ..
So yeah, that’s a tech thing. You can always @ that person and start a fresh new thread ..
hope that makes sense 🙂

Dear SZ, I read your review for the first time and comforted that someone echoed my thoughts. Of course, we had been euphoric that the lead couple are ensconced in marital bliss and lived happily ever after. For years that is the mantra we visualized both in real and reel life.

To be fair with the writer Farhat Ji, she deviated from her usual landscape and touched those hardcore subjects accepted as a norm in civic society’s likewise adolescent marriage, domestic violence, widow remarriage etc. Thoughts embedded from time-immemorial needs renaissance to eradicate them but individual effort is the first step.

For instance, take domestic violence how many take this problems to judiciary or have counselor access. If anyone crosses the threshold what are her chances to get a proper trial. Nope, the statistics will be alarming. Daniyal worked towards getting justice in case of Nooyi but fate plotted a different curve. The reality checks have powerful people at the right place and time. Khajista got the taste of freedom because Barrister Osman was working towards redemption.

Further, I am yet unable to comprehend the fact that Zubiya contemplated suicide as the final resort. Farhat Ji women always stood firm in their ground and drawings parallels with Khirad she is relatively vulnerable from financial point of view. Yet, she approached Asher only for her daughter’s treatment. Zubiya is not at the mercies of others to take the extreme approach. Giving benefit of doubt I think she lost sanity because the iron walls erected before Asfand will fall.

Despite the shortcoming, the Journey of Conviction was beautiful in many ways and thank you for showing the readers a distinct perceptive of thoughts.

Dear Yasmin Banu,
Hello! Welcome to DRNR – its lovely to hear from a new friend 🙂

Loved reading your very articulate comment – its heartening to know so many of us were bothered by what went down in the final episode, and how certain very difficult issues were handled. I agree with you that it takes a particular kind of courage to write about sensitive issues and hot button topics and that there is no easy solution to these problems in real life.
While I totally get that, my big issue is that yes, justice is hard, but then by showing such an end as Noorie’s drama makers scare ppl away even more from seeking justice through the right channels. Daniyal got a very idealized kind of a memorial at the end, didn’t Noori deserve something similar? Why not have them name a ward in their hospital named after Noorie .. at least some kind of an acknowledgment of her courage and bravery.

And that suicide – whether an actual attempt or a contemplation – is a very wrong message. I so agrre with you. And I get that our patriarchal cultures are brutal etc when it comes to women and theor honor, but still it had been so long, she had gotten educated and hopefully gained some confidence and sense of self-worth .. otherwise tau all that was rendered meaningless ..

But yes, those problems ahead it was a serial brought to life very beautifully and the actors were fab for most part .. so all in all made for an engaging Wed watch.

Ab Dar So Jati Hai Sila starts in that slot. Its a darker drama so lets see how it shapes up.

And now that you’ve found us, I hope you will bookmark the site and be a regular participant in our convos .. its always lovely to have a variety pf perspective.
Take care.

Loved this drama so much. There are these kind of dramas that don’t interest you since beginning (because of too much sadness or some characters maybe) but later on they just becomes the best dramas. Same happened to me with Diyar e Dil.
Next Pakistanis dramas I am looking forward to are Khaani( which looks like Gul e Rana season 2 and irresistible.) and Shayyad (Only because Uzair Jaswal was fantastic in his first drama so only for him but it doesn’t interest me yet. Let’s see.)

I watched first episode of Shayad and it’s definitely not my cup of tea. I am not very fond on dramas with huge gap between leads (unless their chemistry works). Also story doesn’t interest me (from plot information written in YouTube.) I was looking forward to watch Uzair Jaswal’s new drama but this one is not for me.

@dramajunkie: Hello! Apologies for the late response. You were spot on .. this is not my cup of chair either. I found it all very filmi and not in a good way.
Btw, what did you make of the maid’s makeup and curled hair (?!) I was in absolue awe – mujhe bhi ab barey ho kar aisi hi maid banna hai … hair and makeup 24/7 on point!

I didn’t notice that much. I skipped a lot. And what about khaani, did you watched that too? I have seen feroze as bad guy in gul e rana (but there he was witty too) But still it’s just first episode. Also Sana Javed seemed different because they are trying to portray her as kind of weak girl and her transformation will be later on to her usual self. Anyway I am going to give it few more episodes.

Well, there’s a weekend of my life I’ll never get back. I watched pretty much all of YKS over the last four days, and my brain is well and truly fried. I don’t recommend binge-watching this to anyone, lol.

I’m not going to reiterate what SZ has already said above, and so eloquently at that. I think you’ve pretty much hit on everything I wanted to say, SZ. So thank you for that. I would have felt quite alone if I was the only one who didn’t love YKS to bits.

Instead, I’d like to ask for some clarification from those who have watched the show: what is the take-home message of this drama?

If it was only meant to be a prettily packaged romance, I guess it did well at that. But the entire Asfandyar-Zubiya romance plot barely covers 5 episodes. So what were the other 24 episodes for?

Also, did Zubiya really have a safar of any sort? She doesn’t seem to have grown from one episode to the next, and in the end, she needs to be rescued by Asfi, both literally and philosophically. Yet others have said what an empowered heroine Zubiya is! Is this what it means to be an empowered woman in today’s drama world? I have to say I’m pretty disappointed overall with this drama. Sigh.

@RK.. your tweets n your comments regarding YKS are so amazingly written.. only if those people are going nuts praising Yks.. could read such sensible stuff that SZ,you and everyone have written here… my younger brother was asking me that is it true Yks being best drama pakistan has ever produced.. n i was like who told u this 😲😲 i shared sz review with him n he goes like this makes sense but why people are going bonkers then..

RK truly missed you and your comments when we went through our own YKS finale moment few weeks back. We all were reeling with shock of the drama committing harakiri right in front of our eyes. Such great basic premises and almost each of them received regressive treatment. The Zubia story of course, was the most shocking reversal ever. It was like watching Star wars and at the end Luke skywalker removes his mask and you find he was darth wader all along. Or that harry potter was voldemort; or that Batman was Joker… you get my point, right?

Ah, Molly! You’ve brought up some of my favorite fantasy/sci-fi concepts of all time. Thank you!

The thing is, there IS a bit of Darth Vader in Luke Skywalker. It’s why he has to fight so hard to stay away from the Dark Side. Similarly, there is a bit of Voldemort in Harry (quite literally), so he has to make an active choice to be on the side of good and right. Both the Star Wars-verse and the HP-verse are about characters overcoming these internal struggles.

Unfortunately, Zubia isn’t even as well developed as standard trope characters from fantasy/sci-fi, nor do we ever see her struggle with the potential darkness inside. Imagine if YKS was a story about how every woman has a bit of Noori, a bit of Urooj, and a bit of Khajista inside, but triumph comes from letting your inner Zubia out. I don’t think YKS ever got there. That just makes me sad, because there was SO much potential here.

Rushed endings are a speciality with our dramas.
Second last episode mein they wake up from their snooze and then wrap up everything in a hurried fashion.
The bitchy saas/nand miraculously become super nice or the zaalim shohar /brother suddenly becomes a loving soul, all in the last episode 😜
All the mega badtameezian are forgiven and everybody lives happily ever after 💑

Haha, so true! We deserve more than an episode of the good times. I can’t stand the bad phase, so I always tell my sister to lemme know when tables turn and the wicked come to their senses. She then calls saying ‘u can watch now, last episode left’ 😂